Coolant System Corrosion

It is not uncommon for cooling system corrosion issues to develop for racers and performance enthusiasts alike. This can occur whether they are using a coolant additive or anti-freeze. It sounds like it could be a complicated problem that would take a chemist to solve, yet the real culprit is easy to pinpoint…water.

It’s true. The presence of hard-water minerals like calcium and magnesium can cause corrosion inside your engine’s cooling system. Using tap water or well water to mix your anti-freeze can lead to this destructive corrosion process.

Vital components such as the radiator, water pump and cylinder heads (iron or aluminum) all can be affected, leading to a loss of overall cooling efficiency.

The corrosion issue is magnified in motorsports, as many racing series and tracks do not allow teams to use anti-freeze in the cooling system, and straight water alone is more corrosive because of the minerals inside.

Some racers will use water together with a coolant additive to combat some of the downsides of using water by itself, but typical coolant additives do nothing to help prevent hard-water corrosion.

There is a simple solution to this problem however. Driven Racing Oil™ developed CSP (Coolant System Protector) in response to the corrosion problems the Joe Gibbs Racing NASCAR teams faced due to the sanctioning body’s rule that does not allow competitors to run anti-freeze.

NASCAR requires only pure H2O. Driven CSP neutralizes hard-water minerals like calcium and magnesium so that they cannot cause the aforementioned corrosion in your cooling system. CSP can be used with both anti-freeze and regular water, and also reduces the surface tension of water, allowing for better heat transfer for improved cooling. In addition, CSP lubricates water pumps for improved pump life.

Driven CSP will work for a full season of racing and should be drained and refilled after the end of each one. The benefits are twofold. It not only provides superior cooling, but also stops the adverse effects of hard water better than any of the leading brands of coolant additives.